Washington, D.C., December 19, 2013 /3BL Media/ - The World Environment Center (WEC) is announcing that its 30th Annual Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development will be awarded to the Volkswagen Group. The company is being recognized for its comprehensive commitments to environmental sustainability operations, most notably through its holistic sustainable business model, Think Blue. Volkswagen will accept the Gold Medal Award on Thursday, May 15, 2014, during the Gold Medal Presentation Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Volkswagen’s Gold Medal submission was evaluated through a global competition with companies in multiple business sectors by WEC’s independent Gold Medal Jury chaired by Dr. Joel Abrams, Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh. The Jury determined that Volkswagen earned the award on the merits of its long-term dedication to integrating sustainability into its business products and operations.

Think Blue is Volkswagen’s holistic vision toward attaining a sustainable and ecofriendly business model throughout the company’s global operations and, to date, focuses on a range of clean diesel vehicles, sustainability contracts with suppliers, efficiency training throughout Volkswagen’s global workforce, and LEED-certified facilities.

“On behalf of the independent Gold Medal Jury, I extend my congratulations to Volkswagen for its longstanding commitment to sustainable business throughout its operations, facilities, workforce and products,” stated Dr. Abrams.

In acknowledging receipt of the longest standing and most prestigious global sustainability award Volkswagen Group Head of Sustainability Gerhard Prätorius stated, “It is a great honor for Volkswagen to receive the Gold Medal Award for Sustainable Development in 2014. This award serves to further motivate and encourage Volkswagen to reach our ambitious goals in the forthcoming years.”

The World Environment Center’s Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development was established in 1985 to recognize significant industry initiatives in global environmental excellence and sustainable development. Recent recipients of the WEC Gold Medal Award are: Unilever (2013), IBM (2012), Nestlé (2011), Wal-Mart Stores (2010), The Coca-Cola Company (2009), and Marks & Spencer (2008).

The Gold Medal Jury is independent of WEC and its programs, and is composed of international leaders from academia, government, non-governmental organizations and retired industry professionals.

About Volkswagen

The Volkswagen Group, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany, is one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in Europe. In 2012, the Group increased the number of vehicles delivered to customers to 9.3 million, corresponding to a 12.8 percent share of the world passenger car market. The Group operates 105 production plants in 19 European countries and a further eight countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa. Every weekday, 570,000 employees worldwide produce some 37,700 vehicles, and work in vehicle-related services or other fields of business. The Volkswagen Group sells its vehicles in 153 countries.

The Group’s goal is to offer attractive, safe and environmentally sound vehicles which can compete in an increasingly tough market and set world standards in their respective class. Volkswagen’s twelve brands provide solutions in all vehicle segments from sub-compact cars to heavy-duty trucks and buses.

Sustainability is the foundation of corporate policy at Volkswagen Group. This means that sustainability is integrated along the entire value chain of the Company. Corporate responsibility means always considering the impact on society and the environment. Sustainability also safeguards the Company’s long-term future. In order to make an effective contribution to sustainable mobility and as a company with global responsibility, Volkswagen is working hard to develop technologies for the cleanest, most fuel-efficient cars and efficient mobility concepts.

The World Environment Center, headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices and operations in emerging and developed markets, is unique in its direct application of sustainable development strategies and practices to the business operations of global companies. WEC creates sustainable business solutions through individual projects in emerging markets; convenes leadership roundtables to shape strategic thinking across a range of sustainability topics with a specific focus on the preparation of business leaders to implement sustainability; and honors industry excellence through its annual Gold Medal Award. An independent non-profit organization, WEC conducts no advocacy activities.

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